TIED UP – Democratic Congressional hopeful William Keating accepts a tie, and endorsement, from US Rep. William Delahunt while his former rival for the nomination, state Sen. Robert O’Leary, looks on. The three Democrats converged at the Veterans Clinic in Hyannis Sept. 15 to show their unity and pledge their continued commitment to veterans’ services. In a press statement, O’Leary said Keating and he “agreed on a great number of things,” including the need to “work across the aisle to serve this district.”

Pushed off the Ledge(r)

During his primary campaign profile interview, Bill Keating told the Patriot that his first job was delivering papers for the Quincy Patriot Ledger, adding, “not that they ever give me any credit for it.”

And that continues to be the case. The paper, now the Patriot Ledger, endorsed Keating’s opponent in the Democratic primary, Rob O’Leary.

Hopeful headline

“Perry sets the tone for upcoming campaign,” was the headline on a Sept. 15 press release from Jeff Perry’s Congressional campaign. It won’t be that simple.

The Sandwich state rep’s Democratic opponent, Norfolk County D.A. Bill Keating, drew a lusty roar from his election night crowd when he promised to challenge Perry on questions of judgment when Perry was a Wareham police sergeant.

In his release, Perry found it “disappointing that my opponent wasted his first opportunity to open up a dialogue with voters last night. Instead of talking about issues and the principled difference between us, he immediately resorted to negative campaigning and mudslinging.”

Perry promised to run “a positive campaign that people will feel proud to support.”

In another release, the Republican said candidates “need to focus on creating jobs right here in the District, we need to reign in on the wasteful spending, we need to repeal Obamacare.”

(Last week, this column chided state auditor candidate Guy Glodis for issuing a brochure heralding his plan to “reign in wasteful political spending.” This makes two campaigns with proofreaders asleep at the reins.)

Let’s talk

Maryanne Lewis of Scituate, one of three candidates for Congress running as an independent, wants all hopefuls to join her for weekly debates.

Hunt signs off

It’s hard to imagine politicians taking down their campaign signs before the election, but that’s just what 5th Barnstable District state rep contenders Randy Hunt and Lance Lambros say they’re doing this week.

In a press release, Hunt said the signs will be back up Oct. 2.

The Sandwich Republican sent out an interesting “Cape Cod One-Question Wastewater Survey” inviting votes ranging from “The Cape should be sewered and Title 5 septic systems eliminated” to “Do nothing. I can’t afford $50,000 to $80,000, even over 20 or 25 years.”

A salute with paws

State Rep. Matt Patrick will be honored Sept. 20 for his efforts to advance plans to erect a memorial to the dogs who defended civilians and the military in times of peril. The veterans’ group K9s of the War on Terror will host Patrick at the Veterans Memorial Walk at the Falmouth Public Library at 10:30 a.m. Monday.

Disrespect vs. democracy

There’s not much time to catch one’s breath between the Sept. 14 primary and the Nov. 2 election, but an alliance of Cape organizations hopes its concerns can be heard in a “public dialogue” titled “Is

Disrespect Killing Democracy?”

Attempting to answer the question Sept. 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Cape Cod Community College’s Tilden Arts Center will be former U.S. Senator Paul Kirk, Cape Cod Times Publisher Peter Meyer, and U-Mass Dartmouth ombudsman William King.

Sponsors include the League of Women Voters of the Cape Cod Area, the Barnstable County Human Rights Commission, the Barnstable Interfaith Council, and many others.